Locomotive boiler bracket



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w w NNY v "Illl i INVENTOR A Lawrence L, Neebe .L L. NEEBE Locomo'rvE BO'ILER BRACKET Filed March 18, 1941 Dec. 28, 1943.

l De. 28., 1943.

LOGOMOTIVE BOILER BRACKET Filed March 18, 1941 ZSheets-Shee't 2 INVENTOR Lawrence L .Neebe Patented Dec. 28, 1943 2,337,677 LOCOMTIVE BOILER BRACKET Lawrence L. Ncebe, Woodbury, N. J., assignor to The Baldwin Locomotive Works, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 18, 1941, Serial No. 384,123

Claims.

This invention relates generally to locomotives and more particularly to improved means for supporting certain elements on the boiler shell.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved supporting bracket for attachment to a locomotive boiler shell whereby the bracket may be easily and conveniently adjusted to a desired position of elevation or alignment while maintaining a complete and firm seated position on the curved surface of the boiler.

As a result of my improved supporting bracket, I am able not only to provide a relatively simple andv inexpensive supporting bracket but also to employ threaded studs of a single short length regardless of the degree of adjustment of the bracket. In applying my improved bracket to the boiler shell I am also able to eiiectively avoid pressing upon the sheet metal covering of the insulation lagging on the boiler shell and thereby maintain a smooth continuous appearance of the sheet metal covering free of any Waving or crinkling effect in the sheet metal.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. lis a side elevation of a locomotive embodying my improved support;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 showing my bracket as used for a handrail support;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2 taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of my improved bracket used for supporting a step; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In rthe illustrated embodiments of the invention I have shown a conventional locomotive I having, for example, a usual handrail 2 and also a step V3 supported on the boiler shell 4. The handrail 2 is secured to a series of my improved supporting arms 5 spaced at any suitable points along the locomotive. Each arm has a preferably substantially circular base 6 from the lower part of which the arm 5 `projects terminating in a boss 1 to which handrail 2 is clamped by a U-strap 8 and bolt 9. The base 6 has an oiset or eccentrically located stud opening I0 for receiving a boiler stud I I provided with a clamping nut I2. The base 6 is provided with a plurality of feet I3. specifically three in number, and preferably of substantially semi-spherical form adaptedto bear against the curved surface of boiler shell 4. Preferably the feet are arranged so that two of the same lie in a horizontal plane substantially containing the stud while the third foot is below the same.

In operation, the stud II is suitably threaded into the boiler shell and a bracket placed over the stud until feet I3 engage the boiler shell. If the outer end 1 of the arm is, say, too high for proper clamping alignment with handrail 2, then the bracket is removed and the lowermost one of feet I3 as shown in Fig. 4 is partially removed as by grinding or chipping. Thus when the bracket is again placed against the boiler the lower portion of the bracket will be brought closer to the boiler shell and hence swing the outer end of the arm downwardly. Similarly, the bracket arm may be swung upwardly or horizontally in any desired direction merely by partially removing any one of the other feet I3. The threepoint support insures rm contact with the boiler regardless of which foot acts as the adjusting fulcrum. Hence the arm may be Very substantially adjusted merely by removing a relatively small portion of any leg and therefore a single stud II of a given length will suice for all adjustments of the bracket. Heretofore it has been the practice to use a long stud and-the sheet metal boiler jacket was clamped between a block and an arm, blocks of different heights being provided in order to clamp the jacket in place without crimping the same. With my improved construction I clamp the arm directly against the boiler shell using a far shorter stud that is not nearly as liable to be bent or broken as was the case with the old arrangement. Furthermore, in my improvement all of the studs are the same length and hence it is not necessary to take them out and replace them with longer or shorter studs as was sometimes the case with the former arrangement where blocks of diiierent heights were used. Replacing studs in this way was liable to destroy the leakproof character of the threaded hole in the boiler shell, thus requiring either a larger stud to be inserted or employing other suitable means for stopping the leak.

To take full advantage of the desirable characteristics and mode of operation of my improved bracket support, I employ in combination therewith a pocket I5 formed by aligned openings in the lagging and sheet metal covering for receiving the bracket base while a suitable thimble I5 extending from the sheet metal covering I4 through the lagging to the boiler shell 4 forms a wall for said openings. Hence during angular adjustment of the base 6 relative to the boiler, as may be effected by reducing the length of the feet I3, there is no possibility of the boiler sheet covering I4 being twisted or wrinkled in any Way whatsoever and at the same time I maintain complete freedom of adjustability. Thus it is seen that the brackets may be conveniently and expeditiously raised, lowered or moved horizontally so as to be brought into proper alignment with each other and thereby permit the handrail 2 t0 be supported in a straight line.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the above principles of my improved support are applied to a step I6 which extends between and is preferably formed integrally with two of the support bases I1 and I8 each of which has a series of feet I3 similar in structure and mode of operation to those shown in Figs. 2 to 4. Each base I1 and I8 is provided with its own holding stud I9 or 20. The step I 6 which broadly is in the nature of an arm corresponding to 5 may be tilted downwardly merely by partially removing the lowermost one of the feet I 3 or the step may be tilted upwardly by partially removing the uppermost ones of the feet.

From the foregoing disclosure it is seen that I have provided a bracket that is very simple and inexpensive in construction and may be readily adjusted with minimum time and elTo-rt and in addition eliminates the possibility of having to remove or replace studs in the boiler shell with consequent probability of leakage. The sheet metal cover for the lagging maintains a uniform smooth appearance regardless of the direction or magnitude of the adjustment brought about by removal of any one of the feet I 3. The base G and arm 5 can thereby be formed into a single unitary structure while retaining all of the advantages of this general type of bracket but Without incurring the many disadvantages heretofore encountered.

It will of course be understood that various changes in 'details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In combination, a boiler having 'a stud threaded in the boiler shell and projecting outwardly therefrom, and a bracket vhaving a base provided with an opening for receiving said stud, said base having on opposite'sdes an arm and three feet of substantially semi-spherical formation, the feet being adapted to bear against the curved surface of the boiler shell whereby upon varying the length of any one of said feet the base and arm may be tilted in any desired direction throughout a circular range when clamped to the boiler shell by said stud.

2. In combination, a boiler having a stud threaded in the boiler shell and projecting outwardly therefrom, and a bracket having a base provided with an opening for receiving said stud, said base having on opposite sides an arm and three feet two of which lie substantially in a plane containing said opening and the third of which is substantially offset from said opening,

Asaid feet being adapted to be shortened whereby the shortening of any one of said feet will cause the base and arm to swing in a desired direction when the feet are clamped against the boiler shell by said stud.

3. In combination, a boiler having a stud threaded in the boiler shell and projecting outwardly therefrom and a bracket having a base provided with an opening for receiving said stud, said base having on opposite sides an arm and three feet, the feet being adapted to bear against the shell, and said stud opening being located eccentrically with respect to said feet as a whole.

4. In combination, a boiler having a stud threaded in the boiler shell and projecting outwardly therefrom, a bracket having a base provided with an opening for receiving said stud, said base having on opposite sides an arm and feet all formed as a unitary structure, said feet being adapted to bear against the boiler shell and to be selectively shortened depending upon the direction in which it is desired to adjust said arm, boiler lagging having a sheet metal covering, said lagging and covering having aligned openings for receiving said base, and a thimble forming a wall for said openings.

5. In combination, a boiler having a plurality of studs threaded in the boiler shell and projecty ing outwardly therefrom, a plurality of brackets commonly connected by a member, and each bracket having a base provided with an opening for receiving one 0f said studs and three feet projecting from said base oppositely to said bracket, said feet being adapted to bear against the boiler whereby shortening of selected ones of said feet will allow said member and brackets to be tilted in any desired direction throughout a circular range when the brackets are clamped to the shell by said studs.

LAWRENCE L. NEEBE. 

